1. Field of the Invention
An electrical distributor assembly includes a plug member connected with a socket member that is mounted on, and extends slightly above, the top surface of a distributor housing, characterized by the provision of an axially displaceable protective sleeve mounted concentrically about the plug and socket members. The plug includes an upwardly extending integral cable supporting portion that is also enclosed by the sleeve.
2. Description of the Related Art
This invention relates to a distributor arrangement for supplying electrical energy from cable conductors to the sensing and actuating components of an automated building structure, including a distributor housing that is provided with a plurality of sockets connected with various the building components, and a plurality of plugs that are connected with the supply cables, respectively.
Such arrangements are well known in the prior art, as shown, for example, by the Yentile et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,206, and the European Published Applicaton No. 1,251,595. In general, the power supply cables are connected to the field bus subscribers by socket members that at their ends facing the distributor have a corresponding plug member. Although these arrangements generally proved to be effective as such, it was nevertheless, discovered that under extremely rough environmental conditions, a rupture often occurs of the coupling between the plug and socket members, or of the cable in the area of connection to the plug member.
Accordingly, in keeping with the present invention, there is provided a protective sleeve that is axially displaceable to concentrically enclose the coupled plug and socket members, which sleeve preferably extends over the entire axial length of the plug and socket assembly. In this manner, with a simple effort in terms of design, one can ensure a particularly stable protection for the coupling consisting of the socket and plug members mounted on the distributor housing.